![IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Junior Zalie Mann performs “I Love to Cry at Weddings,” an ensemble piece from the fall musical Sweet Charity, to prospective students during the Fine Arts Showcase on Wednesday, Nov. 8. The showcase is a compilation of performances and demonstrations from each fine arts strand offered at McCallum. This show is put on so that prospective students can see if they are interested in joining an academy or major.
Sweet Charity originally ran the weekends of Sept. 28 and Oct. 8, but made a comeback for the Fine Arts Showcase.
“[Being at the front in the spotlight] is my favorite part of the whole dance, so I was super happy to be on stage performing and smiling at the audience,” Mann said.
Mann performed in both the musical theatre performance and dance excerpt “Ethereal,” a contemporary piece choreographed by the new dance director Terrance Carson, in the showcase. With also being a dance ambassador, Mann got to talk about what MAC dance is, her experience and answer any questions the aspiring arts majors and their parents may have.
Caption by Maya Tackett.](https://bestofsno.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/53321803427_47cd17fe70_o-1-1200x800.jpg)
![SPREADING THE JOY: Sophomore Chim Becker poses with sophomores Cozbi Sims and Lou Davidson while manning a table at the Hispanic Heritage treat day during lunch of Sept 28. Becker is a part of the students of color alliance, who put together the activity to raise money for their club.
“It [the stand] was really fun because McCallum has a lot of latino kids,” Becker said. “And I think it was nice that I could share the stuff that I usually just have at home with people who have never tried it before.”
Becker recognizes the importance of celebrating Hispanic heritage at Mac.
“I think its important to celebrate,” Becker said. “Because our culture is awesome and super cool, and everybody should be able to learn about other cultures of the world.”
Caption by JoJo Barnard.](https://bestofsno.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/53221601352_4127a81c41_o-1200x675.jpg)
Evan Voelker, junior, remembers the moment the Rock Climbing Club (RCC) started to feel like a community.
“The team met up for Chipotle after one of our competitions,” Voelker said. “It made me realize we were more than just people who met up to climb together. We were a strong community of friends and coaches.”
When I heard the news that RCC could no longer be official, I was upset,
— Evan Voelker
However, a new Rockwood rule requires clubs to meet on school property due to liability reasons. RCC, in the past, has held meetings at Upper Limits in Chesterfield on Sundays.
“When I heard the news that the RCC could no longer be official, I was upset,” Voelker said. “I know club members can still meet up and climb together, but it makes it more difficult to do so.”
Junior Lauren Nickel, club president, is disappointed with the new rule’s implications.
“I can understand why Rockwood would change their rules like this, but I don’t think the climbing club was really what they intended to target with it,” Nickel said. “It feels unfortunate that we’re impacted.”
Nickel said safety is a high priority of the club.
“Nobody I know of has ever gotten injured at climbing club practices, and Upper Limits strongly emphasizes safety in the gyms,” Nickel said.
Brittany Sharitz, rock climbing club sponsor, said RCC offered a place for students to get active.
“It was just a very enjoyable, low commitment type of club that allowed students to compete,” Sharitz said. “It was a great way for students to get involved with something athletically if they couldn’t commit to a team sport that requires multiple hours every day.”
The end of the club doesn’t mean the end of the group or the end of climbing for the students involved.
“Upper Limits has said that they can still compete through them,” Sharitz said. “They just can’t climb under the Marquette name or under the Rockwood name.”
It feels unfortunate that we’re impacted.
— Lauren Nickel
Nickel and Voelker are both already planning to continue climbing with the club.
“Despite the fact we cannot officially advertise in school, interest in the club has never been higher, and I still look forward to meeting up every Sunday to climb,” Voelker said.
This story was originally published on Marquette Messenger on October 10, 2023.
